Rory McIlroy with absolutely SAVAGE (!) dig at Phil Mickelson over his gambling!

Rory McIlroy twisted the knife on his LIV Golf rival Phil Mickelson after it was claimed Lefty allegedly wanted to bet $400,000 on the 2012 Ryder Cup.

Ben Smith

11 Aug 2023

Rory McIlroy with absolutely SAVAGE (!) dig at Phil Mickelson

Rory McIlroy twisted the knife on Phil Mickelson after it emerged Lefty's self-confessed gambling addiction saw him wager more than $1bn over the last three decades.

An extraordinary extract from Billy Walters' upcoming book was released on 10 August.

Walters, a professional gambler and convicted felon with long-standing ties to Mickelson, alleged the golfer had lost more than $100m betting sports.

It was also alleged Walters was instructed by Mickelson to bet on the 2012 Ryder Cup, of which he represented the United States in Medinah.

Mickelson has now responded to the claims, explaining:

"I never bet on the Ryder Cup. While it is well known that I always enjoy a friendly wager on the course, I would never undermine the integrity of the game.

"I have also been very open about my gambling addiction. I have previously conveyed my remorse, took responsibility, have gotten help, have been fully committed to therapy that has positively impacted me and I feel good about where I am now."

Jordan Spieth admitted PGA Tour players were surprised by the revelations.

As for McIlroy, he decided to dagger Mickelson, telling reporters after the opening round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship:

"At least he can bet on the Ryder Cup this year because he won't be a part of it."

Related: Rory makes Tiger Woods claim

There is no love lost between Rory McIlroy & Phil Mickelson pic.twitter.com/N4jumh0QjL
— Rory Tracker (@RoryTrackr) August 10, 2023

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And of course, the moment that nobody expected, the one that will be talked about, tweeted about and memed more than any other.
Rory with some thoughts on Phil (sound up is NSFW). pic.twitter.com/RnHuEawhkD
— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) February 15, 2023

McIlroy has made no secret of his dislike for Mickelson. He was filmed saying 'F you, Phil' in the Netflix documentary Full Swing which aired last year.

The Northern Irishman has been one of the biggest critics of LIV Golf and even went as far as saying he 'hates' the rival league.

His comments came in the immediate aftermath of the PGA Tour announcing a stunning agreement to create a new, for-profit golf company with LIV's backers.

| Phil Mickelson responds to the claims in Billy Walters' book about his gambling. https://t.co/IlzItb1dsT
— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) August 10, 2023

The book by Walters is titled Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk. It will be released on 22 August.

There are two whole chapters dedicated to Mickelson.

In 2017, Walters was convicted of securities fraud, conspiracy and wire fraud. He was jailed for five years.

Mickelson was caught up in that case, accused of insider trading. He was never criminally charged but paid back more than $1m plus interest.

Walters also claimed that he would have avoided jail if Mickelson told 'a simple truth'.

Rory McIlroy with absolutely SAVAGE (!) dig at Phil Mickelson over his gambling!

An extract of the book reads:

"Phil Mickelson, one of the most famous people in the world and a man I once considered a friend, refused to tell a simple truth that he shared with the FBI and could have kept me out of prison.

"I never told him I had inside information about stocks and he knows it. All Phil had to do was publicly say it. He refused.

"The outcome cost me my freedom, tens of millions of dollars and a heartbreak I still struggle with daily. While I was in prison, my daughter committed suicide—I still believe I could have saved her if I'd been on the outside.

"While this excerpt focuses solely on our betting relationship, my book explores how Phil finagled his way out of not one, but two cases that ended in criminal convictions. As my book makes clear, Phil is not always the person he seems to be."

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